finally

I’ve mentioned a couple times that yoga is kicking my hind end. Unfortunately all that kicking hasn’t been doing my hind end much good…or so I thought.

Now first a jab at me. I found out a couple weeks ago that I have been doing the easy class, as in the one for first-timers or seniors…and it’s been kicking my hind end. There is a harder class, it gets harder? You have to be kidding me! I am a bit of a sissy when it comes to exercise, but not that much of a sissy. I do all the optional “if you want more” stances, weights, etc. that they offer, but finding out I was in the beginner/senior class all the while waking up in the morning feeling last night’s class is a bit disheartening. Lesson’s learned: 1) Yoga looks so sleek and easy but it is challenging, while conveniently the focus on where your body is at helps keep you from injury and 2) I am more out of shape that I thought I was.

Today, I can confidently say that I am finally feeling the weight-loss and the scale confirms 3 pounds are gone. It’s only 3 pounds many of you are thinking, shaking your heads. It’s been since New Year’s that I started Yoga once a week and more recently twice a week along with a night on the bike or something similar. That would be a pound a month when I would so much prefer a pound a week! But goodness knows it is a start.

I do not easily call pounds gone either. They have to be gone for a few days so that I know they are for sure gone. Seeing that those three pounds are gone and not just a fluctuation I was encouraged to go get a pair of jeans out that I know how they fit. I have a couple pairs of the same jeans, have had them awhile…I just am used to how it feels to step in and zip up. They have gotten bigger (insert big grin!) It is my hope that all this while that I thought my metabolism was junk, I was really building up muscle while I was burning fat. Hence the scale didn’t show much change.

In looking back I do feel better. I have much better balance, you should see my tree pose…I started out with the “up” foot having it’s toes on the floor but have graduated to an actual one foot tree pose. And, I can do dancer’s pose without falling down, not a deep one, but still I can do it. Yes, not just losing balance, I mean all out falling on the floor. Go ahead, laugh, I’m laughing at myself over that one. I guess you could say I am getting more graceful, those who know me in real life know I have a long way to go. I notice my posture is better, though I have a long way to go there as well. And warrior 2 used to have my arms burning and screaming the third time through. I can now do it without commanding my arms to stay out, stretched, and up. How out of shape was I? Let’s not focus there.

Most importantly, I just feel better. I am less stressed and tired all the time. I still have days like that, where I just feel like I could sleep all day, but I am really going to start focusing on what I am eating and doing around those days to see if it might be something I am (or am not) eating. I am also going to try to work in one more night of exercise so that I am doing 3-4 a week instead of 2-3. One thing I do remember from losing weight before kids was hitting plateaus and getting frustrated. However hitting that seems to tell me it’s time to exercise more or cut back something else out of my diet. I know now that once I get comfortable with one thing, it’s time to push further…even if you are still in the beginners/seniors class.